Featured Autograph: Matt Reynolds

For a few days last fall, it looked like Matt Reynolds might have a chance to make Major League Baseball history by becoming the first player to make his big league debut in the World Series during the modern era.

Reynolds, a 25-year-old Mets prospect, was an emergency replacement for Ruben Tejada after he was injured by Chase Utley‘s takeout slide in the National League Division Series. He never got into a playoff game and was removed from the World Series roster in favor of Juan Uribe.

(Raúl Adalberto Mondesí, a shortstop in the Kansas City Royals organization, did make his Major League debut during the 2015 World Series, striking out as a pinch hitter against Noah Syndergaard in Game 3.)

Reynolds has spent the past two seasons in Triple-A Las Vegas, where he will likely start 2016 as well. His best shot to reach the majors is if the Mets need a reserve infielder who can play shortstop. With Asdrubal Cabrera holding down the starting job and Wilmer Flores and Tejada expected to take the reserve infielder spots, Reynolds may find himself waiting until September for that chance.

My 2012 Panini Elite Extra Edition card cost $2.24. Reynolds does have a card in the 2013 Bowman Chrome set whice pictures him in a Mets’ jersey, but no officially-released certified autographs as a Met yet. And given his current status as an “almost” Met, an “almost” Mets baseball card feels appropriate to represent him in my collection.